UPDATE (12:35 p.m. PT) —Oregon was one case shy of matching a dismal record set just days ago, with 436 new COVID-19 diagnoses announced Sunday. State health officials also shared details about the ongoing surge in new infections. The record of 437 new cases in a day was set on Thursday, and daily diagnoses have been gradually ticking up for weeks.
The death rate has not risen alongside new diagnoses, however. Three deaths were reported Sunday, bringing the confirmed death toll due to COVID-19 to 260, according to the Oregon Health Authority. The agency says 14,579 people have been diagnosed with the coronavirus since the pandemic arrived in Oregon and 3,225 are confirmed to have recovered.
The greater Portland metro area led the state in confirmed and presumptive diagnoses Sunday, with 123 new cases in Multnomah County, 57 in Washington County and 19 in Clackamas County. Away from Portland, diagnoses continue to climb in Umatilla County, which reported 78 new cases, and Marion County, with 46.
The state provided these details about the people whose deaths it announced Sunday
- A 90-year-old woman in Marion County died Friday at Salem Hospital after testing positive on July 8. She had underlying conditions.
- An 80-year-old man died Friday at his home in Marion County after testing positive on July 8. He had underlying conditions.
- A 62-year-old woman in Multnomah County died Saturday at OHSU Hospital after testing positive on July 14. She had underlying conditions.
In their weekly review of the state's response to COVID-19, Oregon health officials said they are tracking active outbreaks in at least 30 senior living or group housing settings, while outbreaks at another 38 of these settings have been resolved. More than half of coronavirus deaths in Oregon have been linked to these outbreaks since the start of the pandemic.
The state is also tracking about 60 active workplace outbreaks — including at four prisons, which account for 323 COVID-19 diagnoses. The biggest non-prison active workplace outbreaks are at Pacific Seafood in Newport, associated with 181 cases; Lamb Weston in Hermiston, associated with 142 cases; and Bob's Red Mill in Milwaukie, associated with 61 cases.
Related: COVID-19 In Oregon: By The Numbers
New Oregon COVID-19 Cases By ZIP Code
This map shows new cases of COVID-19 in each ZIP code in Oregon. ZIP codes are colored by the number of cases per 10,000 residents. ZIPs are shaded to show contrast; rates in Oregon remain lower than most of the U.S.
Jacob Fenton, The Accountability Project at the Investigative Reporting Workshop Sources: OHA's current and prior weekly reports. OHA does not report case counts in smaller ZIP codes, and doesn't provide an exact figure for ZIP codes where fewer than 10 cases have been recorded. ZIP codes are shaded by the lowest possible rate in the new cases view. ZIP code populations and outlines are from Esri's "Updated Demographics 2019" so rates differ from those published by OHA.
34th death reported in Clark County, Washington
Health officials in Clark County, Washington, said Friday that another 44 people had tested positive for COVID-19 and a man in his 60s had died. It's not clear if the man who died had underlying health conditions.
To date, 1,434 residents of the southwest Washington county have tested positive for COVID-19 and 34 people have died.
According to the latest available data, Washington has 44,313 confirmed coronavirus cases and 1,427 known deaths. As of Wednesday, coronavirus has led to the hospitalization of 4,944 people in Washington.
Washington Gov. Jay Inslee has warned that if case numbers don’t improve, he may have to start shutting down the economy again. Counties throughout the state will have to remain in their current phase of reopening until at least July 28.
Some Republicans want Clackamas County considered separately
Top Republican lawmakers are asking Oregon Gov. Kate Brown to reconsider her decision to tether Clackamas County to Multnomah and Washington counties as the state eases COVID-19 restrictions in the midst of the pandemic.
Related: Pandemic Reveals Itself As A Threat To Rural And Urban Oregonians, Alike
“Coupling Clackamas County with the two most urban and densely populated counties in Oregon is unwarranted and unnecessarily burdens our local communities and businesses who are already struggling during this economic downturn,” House Republican Leader Christine Drazan, R-Canby, said in a statement. “The county commissioners have asked for this policy to be reconsidered, and today we echo their plea.”
But the Clackamas Board of Commissioners stepped back from asking the governor to take a new look at the county's application to further ease restrictions, amid a statewide surge in new diagnoses.
Read more: Oregon Republicans Push To Reconsider Portland-area Reopening Strategy
Oregon seeks to speed up gig-worker jobless claims with new form
The Oregon Employment Department has introduced an online form it hopes will make it easier for Oregonians to apply for its Pandemic Unemployment Assistance program — the unemployment benefit program for self-employed, contract and gig workers.
The agency said the new form, created in partnership with Google, will allow the more than 100,000 people who have already applied for so-called PUA benefits to get their weekly payments faster.
The form seeks to automate the weekly certification process that PUA applicants must complete. The form also should ensure that all applications are received with complete information, according to the Employment Department. The agency said the previous process included a PDF which resulted in some forms “mistakenly being submitted blank,” it said.
“This is an encouraging step forward for Oregonians who’ve been waiting for benefits, as well as for the department. I am pleased we have made these changes and pledge that we will continue finding better ways to serve you,” Oregon Employment Department Acting Director David Gerstenfeld said in a statement.